My Love
by elainefelicity
Summary: A love story, focusing on a married Tony and Ziva. I know I keep my summaries a bit cryptic and don't give much away but I just don't want to give away the punchline. Pls keep the reviews coming, I love to see what you think.
1. Chapter 1

Ziva and McGee went to lunch together that day since Gibbs and Dinozzo seemed to be dealing well with their latest case, Former Navy Lieutenant Ray Thorn, Gibbs had wanted him but could find nothing to link him to the Navy anymore, he'd been dishonourably discharged. Not until now anyway, turned out he was doing a drug deal to a petty officer Davis that night, thanks to a gem of information from one of Tony's sources.

"I have to go to the ladies, McGee, excuse me." Said Ziva getting up.

"But...Ziva the cheque!" He called but she just carried on walking.

"She's one fine woman, you're a lucky man, Sir, if I may say so" Said a waiter now that Ziva was out of earshot

"Oh" Laughed Tim uncomfortably "Ziva's not my wife"

"So she's single?" Asked the waiter hopefully

"Don't even think of hitting on me" Said Ziva now returning .

"Sorry, I was just saying how beautiful you are" Said the waiter, feeling like he'd dug his own grave.

"My husband thinks so too" She said and he noticed a rather striking white gold wedding ring on her finger.

Only Ziva knew what the engraving was on the inside though.

_'My love forever. Tony X'_

They'd been married eight months.

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Tony stood with Abby in her lab waiting for a test result like a child waiting for Santa

"Tony, I got to say, I never thought I'd see it" Observed Abby as they stood in her lab out of the blue.

"What's that Abs?" He asked.

"Just never saw you getting married"

"People change, Abby" He said.

"Just never imagined change ever happening to people like you two, you were so set in your ways."

"What ways?" He asked

"Well you had a wandering eye, like all the time, and she had such a hard shell around her, you've both just...changed!" She said.

He didn't quite know what to make of Abby's analysis, and it bothered him that no one could quite comprehend that they were husband and wife, but he did know that he loved Ziva and that was all that mattered in the end.

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Ziva and McGee wandered back into the bull pen, and she stole a quick kiss with Tony while Gibbs wasn't there. At first Gibbs figured it would never work, but when he realised they'd kept their relationship secret and strictly out of work he warmed to the idea, in his own unique 'Gibbs' way anyway. 

"I have a surprise for you tonight" She said as she sat on his desk.

"Oh really?" He said, intrigued.

"You'll find out over dinner tonight" And she left it at that, she got up from his desk and sat at her own.

Gibbs walked into the room.

"When are we bringing Thorn in?" Said Ziva.

"With that leg you're not going anywhere, I'm relieving you early"

A suspect had given her a sharp kick in the shin yesterday and severly bruised her leg.

"I'll be fine, you need me"

"This isn't a debate, Officer David" He barked.

"Fine!"

"Dinozzo and I will bring him in, go home Ziva, rest. McGee Abby needs your help"

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"What are we going to do about Davis, boss? Are we bringing him in too?" Asked Tony in the car on the way to West Street.

"The priority is Thorn, but yeah we bring both in"

"Thorn's dangerous, can we manage without Ziva and McGee?"

"Ziva's injured and Abby need's McGee. So it's just you and me" Replied Gibbs.

"Wow, you say that so warmly!" Grinned Tony, but Gibbs put his foot down and acclerated.

The evening was a cold one and even colder in the parking lot, it felt even colder when the breeze rushed through it. Both men, for the moment were warm inside their car and Gibbs had his ever trustful coffee in his hands, but not for much longer as Thorn had just turned up.

They spotted a young, weak looking man hand him a large wad of cash and that was their cue.

"Seaman Davis? Ray Thorn?" Said Gibbs "NCIS" 

Thorn ran in a direction that Gibbs didn't see, he went in the direction he thought his eyes told him he went. It brought him onto the lower parking level, down a slope. He slowly walked up to the end looking between every parked car as he went. No Thorn yet, but Gibbs knew tonight would be the night he had to catch Raymond Thorn.

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The lesser streetwise Carl Davis was already in handcuffs, he believed his life was over, well at least his life in the Navy anyway. As Tony put handcuffs on him, regrets filled his head, he wanted with all his heart to plead his innocence but he knew it was pointless and ultimately a lie. Tony walked him over to the car.

Ray Thorn watched them approach the car from his vantage point behind a concrete pillar. He had only known Carl Davis for a few days but something about him caught Ray's eye. He silently caught up with them and before Tony knew it Thorn was standing directly behind him. One hand was on his shoulder and the other had a knife.

"Thorn" Said Tony, it was more a statement than a question.

"The one and only!" Replied a smug Thorn.

Tony remained calm even though Thorn's knife was dangerously close to his back.

"What exactly is it you want?" 

Thorn was willing to reply to the question until he felt Tony's left hand reach for his weapon.

"Not the right move" Said Thorn.

He stabbed Tony in the back using the entire length of a six inch kitchen knife.

Thorn released Davis from his cuffs. Tony looked at Carl Davis and even through the emense, white hot pain he could see, as their eyes connected for a split second that there was a certain amount of guilt in Davis' eyes.

"You stabbed him...?" He said in absolute amazement.

"Yeah, now lets go shoot the other one and get out of here"


	2. Chapter 2

Gibbs was heading up to the car again, angry at himself for letting Thorn give them the slip.

"Now now now, Agent Gibbs" Said Thorn rounding the corner. 

Both men now had guns held at each other in a pointless stale-mate. Alarm bells began to ring in Gibbs' head when Davis rounded the corner too.

"The gun is pointless, you can't arrest both of us" Said Thorn

"Oh I'm sure we'll think of something" Said Gibbs. 

His words betrayed the feelings inside him.

"Where's my partner?" Asked Gibbs.

He tried to hold off asking that question, fearing it would give Thorn a psychological upper hand to go along with his clear tactical advantage.

"Not here, he's not the greatest partner in the world is, he need firing agent Gibbs" said Thorn mockingly Gibbs wasn't a stupid man, one against two wasn't going to happen. A bullet scraped past Gibbs arm causing enough incapacitating pain for Davis and Thorn to get away. Again.

Gibbs arm burned with pain. He cursed Dinozzo for letting his guard down, figuring that he'd been caught from behind and knocked out cold by Thorn. He got up and gingerly went up the slope. When he found Tony just about standing against a car on hand on his lower back. Gibbs strode over to him not realising the extent of the injury.

"I could have used your back up then"

"Right back at you, boss" He said weakly, the world around him began to start getting distant and he collapsed to his knees

"Whoa, you OK?" Said Gibbs grabbing him under the arms and lowering him gently to the floor.

However he needed no telling when he put a hand on Tony's back and felt a warm, sticky patch.

"He stabbed me, Boss" Said Tony, he collapsed completely into Gibbs arms as he said those words.

"Tony, stay with me, come on" He lay him onto his back and placed his own rolled up jacket behind the wound.

"We're going to sort this out, you got to keep you're eyes open...think of Ziva"

It was useless, his eyes began to close and he lost consciousness.

It was now Gibbs who was thinking of Ziva, he prized Tony's wedding ring off of his cold left hand and placed it carefully in his pocket.

Ziva had made the dinner to the best of her ability and added the finishing touch by lighting two candles, she heard a small 'clang', and stooped down to pick up her ring that had just unusually fallen off her finger. Time was ticking by and no sign of Tony coming home prompted her to call his desk phone at the office, needless to say nobody answered.

Jeanne couldn't miss her fellow physician and best friend Matt coming down the corridor of Monroe University Hospital's corridors, his shock of bright red hair was a dead give away. He was just coming on shift, she'd returned to Washington following her spell with 'DiNardo', figuring, it was a big city, she'd never see him again. She couldn't have been more wrong.

"Trauma en-route" Said Matt "Thought I'd give you the head's up"

"What kind of trauma?" She asked professionally.

"Stabbing" He declared.

"Where are the cops when this sort of stuff happens?" She asked rhetorically

"Patient's a fed"

"Wow, who, FBI?"

"NCIS" He answered.

She swallowed hard. It had been a while since she'd heard those letters uttered, she took a deep breath supressing the memories.

Matt remembered all of what she had told him about her relationship with the undercover agent that had broken her heart.

"It's a big agency, Jeanne, it's highly unlikely it's your guy" He reassured her

However professional she was it couldn't prepare her for who she saw rushed in by the paramedics, her heart did a skip and her world froze. 

"Take a break, Dr. Michaels and I got this one" Said Matt

She felt physically sick but her training took over when she saw Gibbs. He clutched his injured arm and she ushered him into an exam room.

"This can wait, I need to call the rest of my team" 

"No...What is your name?"

."You should be in there saving him not me!" He yelled.

"Calm down" She said sternly "Now what happened here"

Gibbs took a deep breath, realising that he was no good to anyone injured

Matt took all the pesonal items from the victim and headed to Gibbs where Jeanne was just finishing dressing his arm.

"Dr. Benoit, can I see you for a second" He said, peeping his head through the curtain.

"His arm was grazed, should be okay though." She reported.

He showed her the bag of personal items, she looked at the weapon in there.

"God, it's like I never even knew him." Then she remembered she'd said it out loud "It was him, Matt" 

"Jeanne..." He didn't quite know what to say.

"I'd better give these to Agent Gibbs" He said.

Jeanne walked away and Matt entered the examination room.

"How's my partner doing?" Asked Gibbs

"He's stable enough to go up to surgery but we won't know the extent of the injury until later" Matt reported "Is there a next of kin you need to inform?"

"There's a wife" Said Gibbs, deflated, but he knew the challenge of facing Ziva when she found out would be hardest.

As Gibbs headed outside, Matt was left somewhat shocked that Tony had a wife, he had no idea how he would tell Jeanne, she was clearly still in love with this man.

"I think we're finshed here, Abs" Said McGee.

His phone rang in his pocket and he struggled to reach it before it rang off.

"McGee" He answered "Everything okay, Boss?"

Gibbs told McGee everything, and he tried to keep his best poker face on for Abby's sake, but as soon as he hung up she saw straight through it.

"Tim, what happened, what did the bossman want?" She asked.

"Thorn stabbed Tony, it sounds pretty bad, they're not sure he's going to make it."

Abby grabbed Tim and placed a head on his shoulder.

"He can't die, Timmy" She Said "He, can't, he can't he can't"

Then he remembered the job he'd been given to do. 

"This is a nightmare, McGee" She said looking into his eyes.

"Abby...Gibbs wants me to tell Ziva. I've got to tell her in person, I'm not calling her."

"What shall I do?" She asked

"Get Ducky, and go support Gibbs" He said "I'll meet you there"

He had a sense of impending doom as the prospect of facing Ziva came closer as he drove nearer and nearer to her home.


	3. Chapter 3

"McGee?" Said Ziva as she opened the door to find him standing there "Where's Tony?"

"Er...Tony's at the hospital, Ziva" He said

"Why? Is Gibbs Okay?" As soon as she said it she realised the other possiblity.

"Ziva..." He stuttered.

"What's happened McGee?" She said getting aggitated "Tell me!" She yelled.

"Well, it was Thorn...we think" He said.

"Think what?" She asked

"Tony's been stabbed, in the back, Ziva"

"This is a joke, yes?" She laughed.

"No" He said

"How serious?" She asked comprehending the realness of what she was being told.

"It's not good, Ziva"

"This cannot happen, not tonight" She said as she went inside to blow out the candles "Where is he being treated?" She asked. 

McGee didn't answer. She pushed him up against the wall.

"Where, McGee?" She asked again.

"Monroe" he said "I think I should drive, you're not exactly stable right now" But it was too late, she pushed past him and was gone.

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Jeanne sat in the lounge with a mug of instant soup when Matt walked in.

"How are you doing?" He asked pulling a chair next to hers.

"I can't believe this is happening, not only does he pop up in my life again like a bad penny, but he comes here...in that state"

"Jeanne, things don't look great, the attacker used the whole blade, the wound's deep" He grabbed her hand.

"There's something else" He began.

"Now what?"

"The partner, this Gibbs guy, when I mentioned next of kin he said there was a wife"

She looked up at him.

"Well" She felt like her heart had been ripped out, just like it had when they sat on that bench two years ago "I guess he moved on"

"Jeanne lose the brave face, I can see right through it" He said.

"After we broke up I kept telling myself that I fell in love with the sweet university professor. The man they just brought in was the one who shot that guy in the morgue, the one who revealed himself to me that day, he wasn't the mild mannered, harmless guy I fell for"

"Just because they carry weapons doesn't mean they don't have feelings, I saw your face when I had that bag of personal items"

"What's your point?" She asked a little defensivly

"Well how do you know that Agent Dinozzo isn't the same man as Professor Dinardo?"

"It's pointless, Matt, he's married now"

"So you _do _still have feelings for him" He realised.

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Gibbs, Abby and Ducky were given a small family room in which to sit and wait. It felt torturous for Abby, she had seen Gibbs and even though his arm was in a sling she threw herself at him in true Abby style to celebrate that at least he was alright.

"He'll be alright, Jethro, he always is" Reassured Ducky.

"You weren't there, Duck" Said Gibbs.

"I guess you weren't either" Said Ziva venomously in the door way.

McGee came panting his way behind her and put a hand gently on her shoulder.

"Ziva, this isn't the time"

"Excuse me, Officer David?" Replied Gibbs.

"This is your fault, where were you when Thorn put a knife in Tony's back?" She asked

"I do not have to answer to you Ziva, I'm your boss" He said, now standing and facing her.

"You may have forgotten, Gibbs but Ziva is Tony's wife, surely she deserves answers in that capacity" Offered Ducky, trying to avoid a potential situation.

"I was after Thorn, that's what we all wanted wasn't it?" Said Gibbs finally. "Isn't it what you'd be doing?"

"No, I would be looking out for my partner!" She began to shout.

"Come on, my dear, lets go and get a cup of tea" Said Ducky ushering her out and up to the cafeteria.

Gibbs knew on some level that Ziva was right, he took the ring out of his pocket.

"Ziva" He called and she turned around "I though you should have this, I kept it for you"

She simply took the ring and placed it on the chain around her neck.

"You know what's funny?" She said "My ring fell off, this evening. I should have known something was wrong then"

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Gibbs re-entered the room.

"I don't think Ziva is up to calling her father-in-law, I'll go and call him" Said McGee.

"I'll come with you" Said Abby.

And Gibbs was left alone.

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Ducky put a cup of tea in front of Ziva. She was gazing into space until Ducky put a friendly arm on her shoulder.

"I can imagine how you must be feeling, Ziva, but you mustn't blame Gibbs" He began 

"This shouldn't have been what I was doing tonight" She said "I was setting the table when McGee knocked"

"Of course" He said smiling "Your surprise, Tony was trying to guess what it was all day" He was trying to lighten the mood.

"Yes...my surprise, he was supposed to find out tonight" She said in a daze.

Ducky was now intrigued.

"What was the surprise, Ziva?" He said seriously

"Ducky, you can't tell anyone, especially Gibbs"

"I won't, your worrying me now" He said concerned.

"I'm pregnant, I found out yesterday"

For once Ducky was speechless.

"I could be made a single parent tonight"

She said and proceeded to cry on his shoulder. He hugged her close.


	4. Chapter 4

_The seering pain in his back had gone, but at the same time he had never felt so helpless in his entire life, though this precise moment wasn't exactly 'life'. He watched the medical team frantically work on his own dead form on the operating table, he felt completely pain free but absolutly terrified.. It was still slightly fuzzy as to why he was in this predicament in the first place._

_"Tony" Said another voice behind him._

_He turned around._

_"You?!" He said._

_"Oh, hi Kate, nice to see you, it's been a while!" Said Kate "Don't look so scared, it doesn't suit you"_

_"What happened to me, Kate?" He asked "Why are you here? Am I dead?"_

_"At the moment yes, but they'll get you back, it's not your time yet" She said wisely._

_"I'm no doctor, but hasn't it already been too long?" He said "A brain can only be starved of oxygen for so long" _

_She could see he was panicing._

_"Wow, that's smart, Tony" She said trying to lighten the mood._

_"Kate!"_

_"Tony...you'll be in a coma" She said._

_"A coma, was I in an accident?" He asked "What about Ziva?"_

_"Ziva's worried, but she's alright" She smiled "You got stabbed, remember?"_

_"Not really" He exclaimed._

_"And also let's face it, a coma's a better deal the I ever got!" She said "Listen Tony, we haven't got long, you can't come with me, there's more than just Ziva you'll be leaving behind"_

_Before he could ask what she meant, the pain in his back returned and he was back in his body once again_.

* * *

Paul Dinozzo was a large portly gentleman who sat poolside with his party guests drinking a Gin and Tonic. He glared at the house keeper when she came out with the phone in her hand.

"For the third time, Jane, I don't want to be disturbed" Paul had been called twice already and refused to take it "Tell my son I'll call him back"

"Sir, with respect, it's a Special Agent McGee from NCIS and he just told me what he wants, I really think you should speak to him" She said.

"This better be good, I'm hosting a toga party here" He yelled down the phone.

McGee cringed at the image of a man in a toga. Many men in toga's.

"Mr Dinozzo, I'm a collegue of your son's I'm special agent McGee, may I speak with you somewhere quieter?"

Paul sighed with irritation and walked unhappily inside the house away from the noise of the party. Jane the house-keeper followed dutifully behind him.

"Now tell me what is so damn important" He barked.

"Sir, your son was injured earlier this evening"

"What's he done now, who did he annoy this time?" 

"Sir, you don't understand" Said McGee realising all of what Tony had said about his father was true "He was on duty"

"So, he broke a bone, dislocated a shoulder, he's got a wife, let her take care of it"

McGee was insenced, Abby who stood with him when he was making the phone call gave him a look, it made him realise that even though this wasn't the nicest man in the world he was speaking to it still his friend's father.

"Sir, he was stabbed"

There was silence for a moment and McGee thought he had hung up.

"Stabbed?"

"Yes, you should get here quickly, Sir"

There was another silence.

"I will, tell Ziva I'll be there soon"

* * *

"Any news Jethro?" Said Ducky as he entered the little waiting room. 

Abby and Tim had returned. Ducky's question had been answered by the presence of a red-haired doctor sitting on one of the chairs. Ziva's heart began to thump hard in her chest and Ducky was still reeling from Ziva's revelation in the cafeteria. Matt took a moment of silence from everyone in the room as his cue to start.

"The wound Agent Dinozzo recieved was extremely deep, it severed blood vessels including a major one going to the kidney, there was a massive bleed" 

Ducky's heart sank, he understood what the ramifications could be.

"I'm afraid his heart stopped, we got him back but it took several minutes."

Ducky's heart sank even further, and he squeezed Ziva's hand.

"I'm sorry, his brain was starved of oxygen for too long, you're husband went into a deep coma"

"So what now?" Said McGee

"We hope he'll wake up, but we're just not sure"

Ziva got up and left the room and Abby was about to go after her.

"She needs some space, I'd leave her for a bit, she'll come back in when she's ready" Said Matt "Tell her I'm here for her when she needs me"

"Thank you, Doctor Roberts" Said Ducky.

* * *

"Something wrong, Kid?" Said Ray as they sat in Carl Davis' his apartment.

Davis had a bottle of beer in his hand though he felt he needed something stronger.

"I asked you a question?" Said Thorn irritably "You losing you're nerve? Maybe I was wrong about you"

"I didn't want to hurt anyone" He blurted out, tears in his eyes.

"You can't conduct business on the street without sheding a little blood, kid" Said Thorn

"I'm a Petty Officer in the US Navy, I'm not a drug dealer!" He shouted "You were wrong about me, I didn't want you to 'save' me, I deserved what I was going to get"

"So you wanted to go to jail?" Said Thorn incredulously "I thought you had guts"

"That NCIS agent you stabbed could be dead, and it's because of me" He said "I don't want to be in this deep!"

"NCIS are scum, the faster you learn that the better you'll get at this" He replied "You're in too far now!"

"I want you out!" Said Davis "I don't want you here, get out" 

Thorn came closer to him.

"Get away from me!" Davis was panicing as Thorn had taken his knife out again.

"Seeing him get stabbed really screwed with your head didn't it? I can't have you going and dropping me in it now can I?"

Carl backed into his kitchen table and grabbed the glass bottle that was on it and smashed it over Thorn's head. Thorn dropped to the floor. Carl stood for a few moments frozen, then he knew he had to check he hadn't killed Thorn. He bent down and checked his pulse. He still had one, he was just out cold. Carl grabbed a kitchen cloth and grabbed the knife from Thorn's hands, it sickened him to see the dried blood on it from earlier that evening. Carl headed out of the door without hesitation, he took the knife with him, he needed to right the wrongs he had done, but he knew Thorn would always be behind him now. He needed help.


	5. Chapter 5

"It's alright now, I'm here" She whispered in his ear.

The disbelief went like a shockwave through her. Half of her expected him to sit up, pull the tube from his throat and tell her it was all a joke, and she had to admit it was his style, but he never did.

"We are going to get who did this, I promise" She said, and kissed him on the cheek, "I promise"  
She picked up his hand, it felt colder than she'd expected so she squeezed it even harder, it felt so wrong when he didn't squeeze back. Ziva took the ring from around her neck and slipped it onto his finger.

"Here, you should probably have this back" She said

"I love you"  
She stood up, kissed her hand and stroked it across his forehead, she wanted to stay with him with every fibre of her being but, for his sake, she knew she had to catch Thorn and to do that she needed some sleep at least. She went to the door way.

"Come back to me, Tony" She said suddenly.

Ziva stood by the door watching for any signs that he'd heard her, but nothing came.

* * *

"Are you leaving?" Asked Jeanne when she saw Ziva leaving the room.

Jeanne longed to have heard what she said or did when she was in that room.

"You probably think I am wrong, but I need to find the man who did this to my husband, I need to sleep before I do that"

"There is bed facilities here if you'd like to stay with him?" Offered Jeanne generously.

Jeanne couldn't quite believe she was saying this but the woman's hard stance was betrayed by the sorrow in her eyes, it was the moment she realised the that Ziva truly loved Tony. She found it hard to believe that anybody could love him as much as she did. And that was the moment she herself realised that she was still in love with Anthony Dinozzo despite what he did for a living and despite the fact that he was married to the woman in front of her.

"Thank you, doctor?"

"Benoit" Said Jeanne, and saw the look on Ziva's face.

"So he told you about me?" She said.

"He did!" She said looking her directly in the eyes.

Neither woman knew where the conversation was going to progress to because they were disturbed and Jeanne left.

Paul Dinozzo came down the corridor, he walked with such a graceful posture.

"Ziva, what the hell happened?" He said, his voice gave away the calm collected body language. "Is he OK?"

One of the most difficult things she ever had to do was to tell Tony's already guilt ridden father that the son he never paid any attention was in a coma that he may never come out of.

* * *

Gibbs came into the office that morning and glanced over at Tony's empty desk. On the drive to work he kept telling himself that all last night was, was a unbelievably vivid nightmare, but it wasn't. Anger filled him up.

"Ziva, you know I'll catch this guy" He said when he saw her at her desk glancing up at him.

"I don't want to catch him, I want to kill him!" She said,

He noticed her cheeks stained with tears and wiped one from her cheek with his sleeve.

"So do I" He said

"We will kill him, Gibbs" She said, and at that moment some of the frost between them thawed.

"McGee, grab your gear, Ziva track down Petty Officer Davis he failed to report for duty this morning"

"Why, where are you going?" She asked.

"To the parking lot" He said and McGee knew better than to hang around, he followed Gibbs lead into the elevator leaving Ziva to attempt to push out all thoughts of last night, but he didn't know about the tiny life inside her that was growing every day and instead of a blessing it felt like a burden.

**Thanks for your reviews, I know this isn't the most action filled chapter, but it was the emotions I was focusing on here. The action will come though! Please keep reading and reviewing. **


	6. Chapter 6

"McGee, you Ok?" Asked Gibbs.

They were on their way to West street parking lot where last night's crime scene had been sealed off and guarded by a few rather digruntled police officers who had been made to stay there all night.

"Fine boss, my mind was on another planet, you know?"

"Well bring it back to earth, Elflord, I need my senior field agent on the ball"

"Boss?" Said McGee.

"Do you see anyone else who's been here longer than you?"

"You...you mean apart from you?"

Gibbs glared at him.

"Oh, Ok, I get the point" He said nervously "I won't let you down"

"Good" Said Gibbs sensing the young agent's self esteem plummet. "I know you won't"

The confidence Gibbs appeared to have in him simply served to make him feel more pressured than he already was, but he realised that could have been Gibbs' intention. After all the years of wanting Tony's job it never occured to him that once he got it he wouldn't want it.

* * *

McGee came to the sloped part of the car park where Gibbs had been shot at and walked past that taped off area straight up to the second sealed off area. Gibbs walked beside him and gave nothing away that could suggest to the unknowing eye that this was anything but just any other crime scene. McGee took a deep breath in when he saw the blood that had pooled on the floor.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to this"

"Get used to what, McGee?" Asked Gibbs "Blood?"

"Knowing that the blood belongs to someone you know" He replied.

He saw the blank look in on Gibbs face as if he had no idea what he meant.

"Doesn't matter, Boss" He said and took the NCIS issued camera from his bag.

"I understand, McGee, I felt the same way when Chris Pacci was murdered" Said Gibbs.

Gibbs phone rang and he answered.

"McGee head back to the car, we got a lead"

"What? Boss, I only just started?" Said McGee frantically packing his things back into his bag and trying to catch up to Gibbs on his way to their car.

* * *

Ziva and McGee stood watching Gibbs question Davis through the one-way glass. McGee was glad for Carl Davis' sake that there was a wall between him and Ziva, she had a fixed gaze on her face but something else was on her mind and he couldn't quite figure out what it was.

"Why did you turn yourself in?" Asked Gibbs "It doesn't exactly happen very often"

"I wanted to do the right thing"

"Spare me the self righteous crap" Shouted Gibbs suddenly.

Carl Davis was quiet for a minute.

"But, I mean it. I wanted to do the right thing!" He said after a while.

"You wanted to correct your mistake you mean" Said Gibbs.

"Hey, I wasn't the one who stabbed your partner!" Said Davis defensivly.

"Then why did you have this on you?" Enquired Gibbs

He placed a kitchen knife on the table in front of him.

"Now I'm guessing that if I tested the blood on this knife, I'm sure I'd find out that it belongs Special Agent Dinozzo"

"Yeah, but the prints on it aren't mine, why do you think I wrapped it in a cloth first?" Said Davis.

"Then tell me what happened last night" Said Gibbs.

Carl Davis told him everything that happened from his perspective, from how Thorn had saved him from being arrested to how he'd knocked him out in his apartment and come here.

Ziva and McGee stood listening in silence, both pretending that the victim of the knife attack was just one more routine investigation.

* * *

They stood in Abby's lab as she told them what they already knew, that the knife was the one that had almost killed Tony and that it indeed belonged to Ray Thorn.

"That means we've got him" Said McGee, with a grin on his face.

"How's that McGee?" Asked Gibbs

"Well we've got his prints on the knife and Davis' statement" He replied.

"And do you think Thorn is just going to come walking in here, McGee?" said Gibbs

"We've got nothing until we find him" Added Ziva.

"I'll try to run a trace on his cell," Said Abby "But he's clever, it'll probably be switched off."

"Well now what?" Said McGee

Gibbs knew that now would be the time Tony would beg him to go undercover, but he wasn't there.

"You're going to buy some drugs, Tim"

"Boss, are you serious?" Said Tim.

"Yeah, Gibbs, McGee doesn't exactly scream out drug addict" Said Abby starting to worry.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Barked Gibbs. "Work with Abby, get a background sorted out, take some acting classes if you need to. This happens tonight"

* * *

"Isn't Gibbs being a little wreckless?" Said Ziva to Ducky.

They stood in the autopsy room alone. Ziva was still wondering what had made her open up to Ducky in particular about the pregnancy.

"Gibbs, knows what he's doing" He said "He won't let the same thing happen"

Ziva didn't look convinced.

"And besides you'll be there"

"Good point" She sighed "I never thought I'd ever see the day when I didn't trust Gibbs"

"Ziva promise you'll be careful"

"Why?"

"A blow to the abdomen can cause miscarriage especially in the early stages of pregnancy" He said.

"I will be careful, I could still lose this baby's father, will not lose my child too" She said

She had given her baby a lot of thought in a short space of time and come to the conclusion that though the pregnancy had come at an awful time, it had still come and she was still it's mother.


	7. Chapter 7

_Tony looked down on his own lifeless form in the bed but his eyes were drawn to Abby, her mascara had run staining her cheeks and her hair was a mess. _

_"Doesn't look like our, Abby, does it?" Said Kate's voice from behind him._

_"That's exactly how she looked when you died" He replied._

_Abby was falling asleep in the chair, but she looked far from restful. Kate chuckled and Tony glared at her._

_"I just can't believe you are married"_

_"Every one says that, no one can believe it" He replied "Talking of which, why did you say I would not just be leaving Ziva behind?"_

_"I meant everyone, the whole team"_

_Tony looked her in the eye, and a thought entered his head that she was lying, but he decided not to pursue it, he now had an idea of what Ziva's intended surprise was._

_"Kate?" He asked "How can I get back. I want to wake up"_

_She considered making light of the situation and making a joke just as they had always done when she was alive, but she knew this wasn't the time or place he looked like a lost child, his male pride and tough exterior was gone._

_"Give it time, Tony" She said "It's a nasty injury, you need time to recover and besides everything happens for a reason._

_Tony glared at her._

_"Don't get all cryptic on me, Kate"_

_"All right" She sighed "This guy, Thorn, if Gibbs doesn't catch him you will not be the only casualty, he'll go on to kill loads of people"_

_"That's nothing to do with me being here in this limbo"_

_"I wasn't finished, Tony" She said irritated "You know probably better than I do how Gibbs gets when one of his team is killed or injured"_

_Tony nodded._

_"Remeber Ari?" She said rhetorically "Gibbs would never have got him if he didn't have my death as motivation"_

_"So you're saying that me being in a coma is motivating Gibbs to end Ray Thorn's life?"_

_"Not just Gibbs" She answered._

* * *

McGee looked at the police tape where his friend was almost killed and feelings surged through him, Thorn needed bringing down. He heard hysterical laughter but he was unsure of where it was coming from.

"Does Gibbs think I'm stupid?" Said Thorn coming into plain sight.

"What is this Gibbs?" Shouted Thorn "I expected revenge for killing your partner but this is just pathetic" He said indicating towards McGee.

Now it was McGee's turn to be smug.

"You just confessed, Thorn" Said Tim as he fumbled to pull out his gun and a tape recorder.

Before McGee even had a chance to react Thorn too had pulled a gun and was ready to use it. He shoved McGee backwards and grabbed his arm pulling the agent towards him.

"Too slow, Kid"

"Are you going to let me kill another agent?" Said Thorn.

Gibbs came out holding a gun of his own, but saw the position Thorn had McGee in and decided not to take a shot.

"I'd have thought you'd have learnt by now, it takes more than two to take me down"

Ziva had ideas and scenario's running through her head but none of them seemed to point to a solution to the situation. She knew Gibbs would be expecting something soon, but she couldn't risk giving away her position to Thorn and shooting him would certanly risk hitting Tim. They outnumbered and outgunned Thorn three to one, there had to be a way to take him down, but Ziva was holding back letting fear of losing her unborn child get in the way...

* * *

"You had better be dying, boy, I've travelled all the way from..."

"Don't talk to Tony like that!" Commanded Abby from the corner of the room.

Paul DiNozzo hesitated in the doorway and looked at Tony.

"The boy on the phone wasn't exaggerating was he?" Said Paul.

"The boy on the phone was called Special Agent Timothy McGee" Said Abby standing up.

"Fiesty little thing aren't you?" Smiled DiNozzo.

Abby could see Tony in his father, the way he covered shock or sorrow or even grief with a joke or insensitive comment. Abby softened when she was reminded of why they were both there facing each other. She turned to Tony and kissed his cheek.

"Where are you going" He said "Don't leave on my account"

She disappeared out of the room in the direction of the coffee machine, by leaving the room she had taken away what was distracting him from facing the real problem, truth be told Paul DiNozzo did love his son he always had done, but showing it had always been a problem for him. Personality clashes and his pride aside Paul DiNozzo suddenly became just like any other parent worrying for their child.

"I'm not sure what to do or say to be a good dad, even when you're awake" He said as he sat down on the end of the bed.

"But I guess being here when you need me is a start, what do you think?" He said to the silent room.

* * *

_Tony watched the entire exchange between Abby, his father and his comatose self play out. Kate stood next to him with her hand supportivley on his shoulder. Tony wandered over to his father._

_"That just typifies my dad" He said to Kate._

_She didn't say anything, she just decided to listen to what he had to say._

_"The nicest thing he's ever said to me is at the time he thinks I can't hear him"_

_"But you can" She replied "And he is here after all, he's not a robot"_

_"Maybe you're right, but I'd still prefer that to be Ziva sitting on the end of my bed"_


	8. Chapter 8

**I've had a lot of time on my hands today being at home with a cold, so combined with a recent surge of inspiration I managed to write chapter 8. Like a previous chapter it doesn't have a lot of action but hopefully it has come across by now that action is the prime objective in this particular story, hence the title. Anyway, enough from me, hope you enjoy the latest installment of 'My Love'. Elaine**

**P.S Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming so I know I'm on the right track.**

McGee was terrified, Ziva could see it in his eyes. It was indeed true that he was a field agent but personality went a long way towards whether one could hide their fear or whether like McGee it shone through like a beacon for all to see. Seing McGee's fear made her realise her own, no one except for Ducky would know about the baby if she were to die at that very moment. Everything seemed to slow down for a second and she saw her friends in danger around her and remembered her husbamd fighting for his life. She promised she would put an end to it, put an end to Thorn. She owed it to them all. Reaching for her knife and using her expert Mossad training she aimed the knife at Ray Thorn and as soon as it left her fingers she knew it would hit it's target. Ziva did not care what part of the anatomy the knife struck as long as she could save Tim and Gibbs.

"What took you so long Ziva!?" Said McGee

They wrestled Thorn to the floor, she hadn't wounded him fatally, the blade had go into his shoulder long enough for McGee and herself to gain the advantage on him.

"Does that hurt?" Said McGee to Thorn as he pulled his arms behind him and cuffed him.

"I should have shot you all while I had the chance"

Ziva and Tim pulled him to his feet and coming up from behind them Gibbs pulled the knife out of Thorn's shoulder with a purposeful lack of sensitivity causing as much pain as he could legally inflict.

"You may want this back" He said handing it back to it's owner.

* * *

Back in the squad room McGee was at his desk attempting to write a report on what happened. He looked up at the sound of the elevator doors open wondering who would come into the squad room this late at night. It was Gibbs.

"Boss" He said "I didn't get chance to app..."

"Don't say it McGee, it's a sign of weakness"

"But Gibbs, I almost ended up joining DiNozzo in hospital tonight and bringing you and Ziva along with me"

"How long have I been a field agent, Tim?" Said Gibbs.

He knew deep down that there was truth to what McGee was trying to apologise for.

"Nearly twenty years"

"And what about DiNozzo?" He asked

"Coming on for ten years?" He answered hesitantly "What's your point?"

"We have both been doing this job for a lot longer than you and we still make errors in judgement"

Despite the grimness of the situation McGee had to stifle a smirk at Gibbs' purposeful attempt not to use the word 'mistake'.

"But these 'errors in judgement' cost lives"

Gibbs sighed and looked him in the eye.

"I know McGee, believe me, I know" He said and walked away.

* * *

"Ziva" Said Jeanne "Do you mind if I have a word with you?"

Jeanne stopped Ziva as she came into the hospital entrance.

"What do you want?"

"For you to know that whatever happened between me and your husband in the past, stays in the past, I know you love him, and that I need to move on"

"That was a brave thing to say Dr Benoit, for someone with feelings such as yours"

Ziva wondered what had inspired this act of honesty, but she respected Jeanne for it. Jeanne and Ziva fell into an awkward silence for a moment or two, neither sure of who should speak first.

"I didn't fall in love with an NCIS special agent, you did, it was the film studies professor I fell for"

"Jeanne" Said Ziva "They are the same person"

Jeanne wasn't sure how to respond so Ziva filled another developing long silence.

"Tony frequently drives me crazy by equating most of life's problems to a movie scenario"

Jeanne laughed remebering a few moments where she had experienced the same characteristic.

"My point is, Dr Benoit, is that Tony DiNozzo is indeed the man you fell in love with, he just carries a gun and works at a federal agency" She said "With me"

"My friend said that, the doctor with bright red hair"

"Then he was correct" Replied Ziva.

"The bottom line is don't be threatened by me, all I want is for him to be happy"

Jeanne Benoit's stepping back from feelings for her husband had taken Ziva by surprise, it had taken integrity that Ziva did not think Jeanne had, she then realised that the jealous wife in her probably refused to see the good qualities and focused on the bad.

"If I was threatened by you, you would know it by now" Said Ziva with a grin.

"How so?" Said Jeanne

"Because it would involve a form of physical violence!"

Ziva carried on walking and left Jeanne with a sense of satisfaction that she'd finally put her feelings for Tony DiNozzo to rest, his wife however was an odd woman she thought, with a strange sense of humour. Though Jeanne was pleased that Ziva had indeed attempted to joke with her, even if it did have a distict lack of subtlty!

* * *

After a whole week the team was still missing a member. They tried to carry on, some blocking out their emotional issues and others displaying them to anyone and everyone. Ziva still had told no one else apart from Ducky about the unborn child she carried and Gibbs refused flatly to visit his senior agent in hospital, despite the constant protests from Abby and the almost fatherly advice from Ducky, Gibbs still blamed himself for what had happened. If only he hadn't let his obsession with Thorn motivate him to leave his partner without back-up. There was also his relationship with Ziva, she hadn't spoken to him personally outside the job since that night at the hospital. At that moment in time he wasn't sure if anything would be the same for him or any of them. Between them the immediate danger posed by Raymond Thorn had been eliminated but Jethro Gibbs' team still had major problems.


	9. Chapter 9

"Jethro, have you spoken to Ziva yet?" Asked Ducky.

Gibbs stopped the elevator mid-shaft between floors.

"We've had this conversation, Duck" He replied "I'm not going to see DiNozzo, I'm not welcome there"

"He would want you there" Said Ducky.

He had said this all before to Gibbs but had feeling that if he said it enough maybe something would get through to him.

"Ziva doesn't want me there"

Ducky said nothing, trying to pry more information from Gibbs. The two men stood in silence for a moment.

"He's the second agent I've lost because of my obsession to catch some dirtbag, Kate died because I let Ari consume me" He said "Thorn got away, just like Ari did and I got consumed by a desire to catch him. At Tony's expense"

"He's not dead Jethro, you could see that for yourself, Ziva needs your support more than you realise"

"He's as good as dead, I should never have left him alone" Said Gibbs venomously.

It was Ducky who flicked the switch allowing the elevator to continue.

"You surprise me, Jethro" He said angrily "I never imagined you ever giving up and wallowing in your own self pity"

Ducky put his hat on and walked out of the elevator leaving Gibbs alone with his thoughts, he went into the dark squad room and saw Ziva sitting at her desk finishing a report.

"I did not want to do it in the morning" She said.

He sat down at his own desk and took a swig of coffee from the paper cup he had.

"You should go, Ziva" He said

"I will see you in the morning" She turned off her desk lamp and tried to stand up.

When she got to her feet everything around her started to spin and her head was swimming. Gibbs looked up and saw he grab out for something to support her. He jumped up and caught her before her knees buckled and she passed out completely. He steadily sat her down.

_

* * *

_

Kate had spoken to him, given him guidance and kept him grounded. Although at the moment they seemed to have run out of things to say. He stood over Abby who had arrived about an hour ago, she had been there alone until Ducky had also wandered in about ten minutes ago.

_"Why doesn't Gibbs ever come here?" He asked Kate "I get treated to Ducky's unending stories about Edinburgh Medical Collage, Abby and Ziva constantly beg me to come back to them...but I can't...I can't"_

_Kate stood in front of him and firmly grabbed his shoulders, she tried to draw his panicing, aggitated eyes towards hers._

_"Stop filpping out, it's not like you" She said "We've been in some situations together Tony, but I've never seen you like this, it's not doing you any good._

_He turned his back on her and looked at Abby's tired face._

_"They all come and sit in that chair, why doesn't Gibbs?" He asked "Even McGee does"_

_"Gibbs has his own set of issues, Tony, you remember how losing me screwed him up" She said._

_Tony remembered his boss's strange behaviour after Kate was killed and figured she had a point._

_"I suppose he'll only come in his time, no one could ever force him to do anything" He smiled._

_He looked around at Abby again, she was still there but Ducky had gone. He looked at her and at first thought she had stopped talking to him, but he could see her lips moving. She was talking to him but it was just that he could no longer hear her. He turned to Kate but she seemed to be drifting away from him, he reached out for her outstretched hand. He was terrified, Kate's face seemed as peaceful as it had been since she had first appeared to him. It was like being in a dream, Kate's hand was getting far away, the world around him seemed to become stretched and distorted. Then everything disappeared, the room around him, Kate even the light had gone. He was surrounded by darkness and could feel nothing but the tremendous pain eminating from the wound._

* * *

Gibbs put a glass of water on Ziva's desk and commanded her to drink it.

"I've had some experience with women, Ziva" He said after a few minutes of silence "Women don't just go from being healthy to passing out for no reason, you need to level with me"

Ziva heaved a sigh and put her head in her hands.

"Do you remember the surprise I had for Tony the day he was stabbed, well this is it, Gibbs"

Gibbs knew what she meant but wanted to hear her say it, he wanted to hear her confide in him once again. Just as they had done since they first met. She had saved his life by killing her own flesh and blood, all he wanted was for them to go back to that level of trust before this huge mess beagn.

"I'm pregnant" She said "But you guessed it, didn't you?"

"No, not until a minute ago" He admitted

"I don't blame you Gibbs, I sorry I yelled at you in the hospital, but I was scared" She had tears in her eyes.

He pulled her close to him and she sobbed into his shoulder.

"I don't want my child to be fatherless" She sobbed.

In true Gibbs fashion it was what he didn't say that reaffirmed the bond between them. They remained that way for a long while until Ziva's desk phone rang...


	10. Chapter 10

_Tony's terror from being slammed back into his body, was countered by Abby's absolute elation when she saw his finger slightly move. Although what ever was going on outside he still felt cold and alone. And then a warm hand touched his, it caressed it and held it for what felt like ages, he instictivly knew it wasn't Ziva's hand. It was Abby's, but it felt so good to have human contact again. She tried to whisper in his ear that Ziva was on her way, but he couldn't quite hear her. Other unfamiliar hands started to touch him and one pulled the breathing tube from his throat, it was an unpleasant sensation but made bearable by the presence of a loving friend._

* * *

More hours dragged on by, Abby had left and Gibbs had come. Ziva was out getting coffee when Tony finally opened his eyes.

"DiNozzo?" Said Gibbs "You awake?"

Tony took one look into Gibbs's blue eyes and sudden memories of Thorn, the pain of the knife penetrating his skin and the last thing he saw when before he closed his eyes was Gibbs. Gibbs was ushered out, he had never seen terror like that on Tony's face, he wondered if he'd have been that scared if it was anyone else. Jeanne was in the room with the other nurses that tried to calm Tony down from his fit of terror.

"It's alright, Honey" She reassured.

She firmly pushed him back to lay down whenever he tried to sit up. He finally started to calm but he was still unsettled by Jeanne Benoit's presence, it was like waking into a nightmare. Bad memories came from all direction but he couldn't figure out if they were fact or fiction fabricated by his mind.

* * *

"I've never seen you hesitate before coming into a room before, Boss" Said Tony.

"Feeling more human now?" Asked Gibbs avoiding Tony's observation.

"Yeah, I guess so" He said "My back hurts like hell though"

Gibbs had a flicker of distress cross his face, but he hid it well and Tony didn't notice.

"What happened that night, Gibbs?" He asked

"Thorn stabbed you" Gibbs replied "Knife hit the artery going to the kidney and you almost bled to death"

"Boss, I hope you didn't take it personally when I freaked out at you before"

"I've woken up from two coma's DiNozzo, I know how distressing it can be when the memories come back"

"You were the last thing I remember before passing out, I guess that's what triggered it" He said "Did you get Thorn in the end"

"Not until the following night" Admitted Gibbs "Tony listen...I'm sorry"

"Excuse me?" He replied, shocked "Did you just apologise?"

"I shouldn't have left you alone, it was a bad call and it almost got you killed"

"You weren't holding the knife when it went in, Gibbs, but I appreciate it. I know how you feel about saying that 'sorry' word"

Gibbs was starting to feel awkward and went to stand up.

"Boss there's something else" He said "I thought you should know, even though you'll probably think I'm crazy"

"I know you're crazy, DiNozzo" Replied Gibbs "I just hope your baby doesn't have the same misfortune"

"Thanks a lot, Boss" Said Tony with a smile "When I was out of it, I don't remember it all but...I"

"Spit it out Tony" Said Gibbs

Tony was glad that the old Gibbs was returning without the guilt and self loathing.

"I think I saw Kate" He said "My mind probably made it up but it was nice...she seemed peacful"

Gibbs wasn't sure what to say but remebered the second coma he was in remebered feeling Shannon and Kelly's presence.

"After the way she died, I'm glad she's Ok" Said Gibbs he saw the look on Tony's shocked face.

"Who are you and what have you done with Gibbs?" He asked

"Like I said DiNozzo, you're not the only one who's ever been in a coma"

* * *

Six months later

Everyone had gathered in the hospital room where Ziva and the new baby, James, were. The whole team including even Jimmy Palmer, except for Gibbs.

"Unsilence this thing!" Commanded Gibbs when he finally came in through the door.

He tossed his cell phone to McGee, who suddenly realised why Gibbs was arriving late. After he'd sorted the phone out and returned it to his boss he took his leave from the room encouraging Abby, Ducky and Palmer to follow suit.

"You must smell really bad, Gibbs" Said Ziva "Did you come to see this little guy"

"Well no, Ziva, I came to tell you all there's a maniac on the loose and we need to apprehend him"

"Sarcasm, Boss, it's refuge of a shallow mind" Smiled Tony.

Tony handed James to Gibbs who held him expertly. Memories flooded back to him from the day Kelly was born.

"He looks just like you, DiNozzo" He said "God help him"

"Thanks a lot, Boss"

Gibbs sat down in the corner holding the baby. Tony sat down on the end of Ziva's bed and bent down to kiss her. He went to sit up straight again but she pulled him back.

"Six months ago, I didn't think you would be here" She whispered "Don't pull that stunt on me again"

"I'll do my best" He replied.

The team he worked with now as close as it ever was, but he still had pain from his back occasionally and it was a constant remider of that dark period in their lives, it reminded him that the next crisis that would crop up, they would stick as a team and never lose each other again.

"Seriously" Said Gibbs "Your lucky to have such a beautiful kid, and he's lucky to have you both as his parents"

Gibbs handed James back to his mother.

"Thank you, Boss" Tony said "That means a lot to both of us"

**Thank you for reading 'My Love'. I really hope you have enjoyed reading this as it has been wonderful writing it. I do have another story working over in my mind but it hasn't been started yet. Once I know where I'm going with it it'll be up. Thanks again, my love Elaine X**


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